10 ways to increase your CRS score

How can I increase my CRS points?

The comprehensive ranking system (CRS) is designed to quantify your skills, work experience, language ability, education, and other factors to determine how successful you’ll be in Canada. Everyone wants to get at least 450 CRS points, ideally 475, so they can get a coveted invitation to apply (ITA). Unfortunately, most of the CRS core factors are things that are difficult to change:

Core factors

Age

Education

Language skills

Canadian work experience

Spouse factors

The maximum number of points is the same whether you’re married or single (1,200). However, if you have a spouse that would be immigrating with you, their skills will be assessed as well. In this case, you’ll get less points for all of your skills and experience as the primary applicant while your spouse contributes to your cumulative CRS score with their own skills and experiences.

In total, the experiences of your spouse contribute a maximum of 40 points towards your score. Your spouse can help you to increase your cumulative score by increasing their English and/or French language skills, obtaining an academic degree, or gaining work experience for an employer in Canada.

Skill transferability factors

The IRCC is looking for a specific combination of factors that would improve your chances of success in Canada. You’ll get extra points for any of the following things:

Post-secondary degree and a strong proficiency in English/French

A post-secondary degree as well as Canadian work experience

Work experience outside of Canada and strong proficiency in English/French

Additional points

Before you invest time and money into something you hope will increase your score, check the CRS points breakdown matrix to see exactly how many points you’ll be getting and decide if it’s worth it for you.

Can an immigration attorney increase your score?

No. Your Express Entry points are based on your personal factors. An immigration attorney or consultant can’t increase your score unless you filled the forms out incorrectly or if they’re committing fraud.

If your immigration consultant boosts your score illegally and is caught, you (and your family) can be deported.

Serious about moving?

Get the full story in our book. Find out everything you need to know about moving to Canada without an immigration attorney, from applying for residency, to getting across the border, and getting settled in your new life.

Fast options

Fast is a relative term. These all require some work on your part — possibly a lot of work, if you’re trying to find a job. However, if you want to move to Canada, it’s worth the effort.

Get provincial nomination

600 CRS points

Each province and territory has its own provincial nominee program (PNP). This is why it’s important to carefully choose which province you’d like to move to. Some programs will automatically nominate you, some require an expression of interest, and some are only open at certain times. Check the current PNP programs before you indicate your province.

If you went to university in Canada and have a qualifying job offer, most provinces will give you PNP.

Your skills

By province or territory

If you graduate from a Canadian university and are working in Alberta, a job offer can land you a PNP. Alberta will usually give you PNP for a qualifying job offer, even if you didn’t go to school there.

Make sure you get all of your education points

Up to 150 CRS points (plus up to 50 CRS points for skill transferability)

You and your spouse (if you have one) should both have your highest level of education assessed to verify that your degree is valid and equal to a degree that would be obtained in Canada. While an education credential assessment (ECA) isn’t required, it’s the only way to get points for your degrees. If you or your spouse have an advanced degree and you don’t have it assessed, then you get zero points for it.

The job offer must be in writing, detailing your pay and deductions, your job duties, and the conditions of employment. It must be a full-time position (30 hours per week) with one employer for at least one year and not on a contract basis.

If you’re applying as a skilled trades worker, the job offer can be for up to two employers.

Retake the language test

Up to 34 CRS points (plus up to 50 CRS points for skill transferability)

There are two different language tests you can take: CELPIP and IELTS. Perhaps you’ll get a higher score if you take the same test again. If you feel the format of the test you took wasn’t a good fit for you, you can try taking the other test.

If you’re married, make sure your spouse has taken the language test and has gotten their highest possible score. If your spouse speaks perfect English or French but doesn’t take the language test, then you’ll get 0 out of 10 points for their language skills.

Practice before you take the test, even if you’re a native speaker! There are numerous sample tests and study guides for both English language tests accepted by the IRCC.

There are a lot of ways to move to Canada. See which is the best fit for you.

Slow options

Remember that each year over 29 the amount of CRS points you get for your age decreases. These options are best for young people that have more time to improve their skills in areas that would increase their CRS score.

You can work part-time while you pursue your education and your spouse can get an open work permit, giving you both additional points for Canadian work experience. This is also a fantastic opportunity to make the connections that can get you a qualifying job offer.

If you’re single, a Canadian university could give you the opportunity to meet the one and end up on the spousal sponsorship track if you’re still shy on Express Entry points.

Overwhelmed?

Not sure if Express Entry is the best immigration pathway for you?

Luckily, we have a simple quiz that will help you sort through the options.

Get the full story

If you want the step by step process on how to immigrate to Canada, here it is. I found the book easy to read, inspiring, and very informative.

Laura J.I.

Useful for getting a general overview of the process all in one place, rather than searching around the internet.

R. Marshall

This book is clearly exhaustively-researched. Each section gives detailed information on how to begin the process of moving to Canada, with super informative with real-world examples and step-by-step instructions. I found the section on health care and taxes especially informative!

Briana Rubin

We are an American couple planning our immigration to Canada through the Express Entry program. This book has been very helpful to aid us in planning and organizing all the steps and timelines for the immigration process. It also has lots of other great information about the actual moving, landing, and transitioning process. If you are a professional looking to navigate through the Canadian immigration program this book is well worth the read. We actually are using it as a reference as well, keeping pages bookmarked and using the spreadsheets and timelines, costs, etc as a model for our own documents.

G.B.

A lot of the other books about moving to Canada talk about what it’s like to live in Canada, whereas this book talks about how to actually get there. A must have for anybody thinking about immigrating.

Carter

Get the latest information on building your life in Canada

SIGN UP

10 Comments

Lizmert
on January 9, 2017 at 11:35 am

Hello Cori,

I am confused about something. How it is that the time counted as work experience is calculated? The minimum requirements says that you must at least have one year of experience full time or two year part time. However, full time is described as 30 hours/week for 12 months = 1 year full time (1,560 hours) and part time as 15 hours/week for 24 months = 1 year full time (1,560 hours). I worked from Oct 13 to April 16 as skill level A, however I went some months working full time and others part time (non-stop). In the US, full time is 40/week and part time is 20/week. So if I calculate it actually considering the hours I worked I end up with over two years (3260 hrs), but if I just calculate it in months (full time plus part time) I end up with just 19 months (a year and 7 months) and I am not at the same job :/ to complete the two years. Do you know how it is actually calculate it?

Casey
on January 13, 2017 at 12:44 pm

Regardless of what full time is considered in whichever country you live in, the IRCC considers “full time work” to be 30 hours of work per week. Those 30 hours/week must be acquired over the course of at least 1 year. If you work 60 hours/week for a single employer, that counts only as a single week and not as 2 weeks. Remember that your employer(s) will need to verify the hours per week worked in the employment verification letters that you’ll provide to the IRCC as part of your application.

Nicky
on January 19, 2017 at 10:46 am

Hello there!

I was wondering if you could advise.
My current score is at 441. 450 seems to be the cut-off for CIC, so I’m barely there. My only hope seems to be a job offer or PNP (which mostly require a job offer anyway).

Do you know what the process would be like for a job offer, given most employers would require you to be eligible to work in Canada in the first place? Ie should I only look for a job after entering EE or secure a job before applying? My experience is in corporate comms/editorial/PR (notoriously with the least budget in any company), so I’m quite doubtful about securing a job before an ITA.

Express Entry is generally designed for young professionals, but it’s not impossible to qualify if you’re over 35. You’ll earn less CRS points for every year you live after the age of 29 and zero points if you are 45 or older.

Raman
on July 7, 2017 at 3:26 pm

Hi,

I am currently working in Montreal, Quebec on a work permit. I intend to apply for express entry but I am not sure if I should. Will there be a problem applying for express entry while living in Quebec? Will it raise a red flag as to my intention to settle out of Quebec which may reject my application? If Yes, what would be the best way to get a Canadian PR?

You shouldn’t have any problem applying for Express Entry just because you’re currently living in Quebec. Your Canadian work and education experience will still count toward your points and you can avoid needing the additional layer of approval by stating your intention to move to a different province upon approval.